Itinerary | A Cultural Exploration of Cuba

March 19th-24th, 2017

Travelers arrive in Miami independently the night before the flight and that hotel and meals are on their own.

Day 1: Sunday -- Miami to Havana

• 9:00 AM: Check-in at Miami International Airport (MIA) for ABC Charter flight operated by American Airlines. Check-in is located in Concourse D.
• 12:00 PM: Depart from Miami to Havana on. Flight duration is 1 hour. Arrive in Havana. Clear customs and immigration. Drive by the Plaza de la Revolución, the center of government also commonly used for massive rallies. Lunch at El Aljibe. Check into Hotel Parque Central. Welcome dinner at paladar NH7 (L, D).

Note: Our guide will assist us with nightly entertainment options.

Day 2: Monday -- Havana

Lecture by Dr. Carlos Alzugaray, former Cuban Ambassador to the European Union and former Director of the Institute of Foreign Relations. Dr. Alzugaray covers topics such as the history of the Cuban Revolution and the current changes in diplomatic relations. Board bus to Old Havana. Walking tour of Havana Vieja. This morning we visit the Plaza de Armas, a scenic tree-lined plaza formerly at the center of influence in Cuba. It is surrounded by many of the most historic structures in Havana as well as important monuments. Continue to the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, a massive fortress built between 1558 and 1577. Visit the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales. The palace currently houses the Museo de la Cuidad and was the former residence of the Spanish Captains. Visit to the Plaza de la Catedral, the Catedral de San Cristobal de La Habana and the Taller de Grafica Experimental. The Taller is more than Havana’s printmaking workshop. It is a studio, a school and most of all, an art institution that preserves and develops the sophisticated art of print making with relative freedom of spirit and form.

Lunch at Paladar Los Mercaderes.

After lunch we see the Plaza de San Francisco, a cobbled plaza surrounded by buildings dating from the 18th century, dominated by the baroque Iglesia and Convento de San Francisco dating from 1719. Wander through the Plaza Vieja. Walk back to the hotel at leisure (20-min).

Demonstrative lecture on Cuban Music by Prof. Alberto Faya at Bar Asturias. Alberto Faya is a singer and guitarist, who has written countless musical pieces for Cuban and international TV and radio. He gives us an overview of the rich melange of influences that make up Cuban music, with the assistance of a jazz trio comprised of his son David and his young band mates. Enjoy this lively and interactive show.

Dinner at the hotel’s poolside restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Tuesday -- Havana

We begin our day with a Lecture by journalist and author Marc Frank. The longest serving foreign correspondent in Cuba, Frank writes for Reuters, the Financial Times and the Economist on Cuban economy. Frank will offer insight into important economic, political and social issues on the island and share colorful stories about being a reporter in Cuba. Next, we take an architecture walking tour guided by Architect Maria Elena Martin. We visit Havana’s Central Park and the first monument erected in Cuba (1904), dedicated to National Hero Jose Marti. See the Centro Gallego, built in 1915 by Belgium architect Paul Belau, today the Great Theatre of Havana, which includes the Garcia Lorca Theatre among other rooms. On to the Capitolio Nacional, a fabulous monumental building inspired in the Capitol model and built in 1929 by Cuban and foreign artists. Gardens designed by famous French landscaper Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier, Centro Asturiano built in 1927 and currently housing the Universal Art Collection of National Museum of Fine Arts.

After we visit the Bacardi Building, erected in 1930 and today it remains one of the most fabulous examples of art deco in Cuba. On to the Sevilla Hotel, remodeled in 1923 by the American firm of Schultze & Weaver, and the recently restored lavish Palacio de los Matrimonios, the former Casino Espanol of Havana, built in 1914 by Luis Dediot. Walk along the Paseo de Marti (Paseo del Prado), a tree lined pedestrian promenade leading to the sea and also designed by Forestier.

Lunch at the whimsical home of artist Jose Fuster, who has made a major contribution to rebuilding and decorating the fishing town of Jaimanitas in the outskirts of Havana, where he lives. Jaimanitas is now a unique work of public art where Fuster has decorated over 80 houses with colorful ornate murals and domes.

In the afternoon we stop at artist studio 3 y 31, the joint effort of three young artists: Alex Hernández, Frank Mujica and Adrián Fernández. The artists explain their work to the group.

Return to the hotel. Dinner on our own. (B,L)

Day 4: Wednesday -- Havana

Lecture by Cristina Escobar, a journalist and TV news anchor who has extensively covered the recent changes in U.S.-Cuba relations. She offers unique insight into Cuban media and important current issues.

Walking tour with economist Juan Alejandro Triana. A graduate of the University of Havana and a faculty member of the Department of Economics at the Instituto Politechnico Jose Echevarria (ISPJAE), Triana’s research and publications have focused on microfinancing in Cuba and Cuba-U.S. economic relations. We walk around a local market as Trina explains the current economic situation in Cuba, the dual currency, the impact of tourism, the changing policies of privately owned businesses in Cuba, among other interesting topics. Cooking demonstration at paladar El Atelier. Lunch to follow immediately. Guided visit to the Christopher Colon Cemetery, an elaborate necropolis covering nearly 8% of the city. Driving tour of modern architecture of the Vedado neighborhood. Few people realize the important place Havana holds as a treasure trove of 20th Century architecture. Stops include: Habana Libre Hotel, Riviera Hotel, Pabellón Cuba, Yara Theater, and Casa de la Amistad (Pedro Baro and Catalina Lasa’s former house). Visit the iconic Hotel Nacional. Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own (B,L)

Day 5: Thursday -- Havana

We begin our day with a visit at the Museum of Revolution. Our second stop is the Museum of Cuban Art with curator Nelson Herrera. The museum is dedicated exclusively to Cuban Art from the earliest days of colonialism to the latest generation of Cuban artists. Lecture with a local expert on the history of Cuban baseball and the possible impact of changing US/Cuban relations.

Lunch at Ivan Justo.

After lunch we return to the hotel to relax or for those who are interested, we can wander through Arts and Crafts Market.

Tonight is our Farewell dinner at La Guarida. It is one of the best restaurants in Havana and famous not only for its delectable dining, but also as the location for the film “Strawberry and Chocolate.” It is housed on the third floor of a large, old town house carrying the charming ambience of the 1920s. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Friday -- Havana to Miami

Free morning to explore Havana at your own pace.

• 12:00 pm: Check out of hotel. Bus departs for Havana Airport.
• 3:40 pm: Depart Havana for Miami on ABC Charter flight operated by American Airlines.
• 4:45 pm: Arrive in Miami. Clear customs and catch any connecting flights you may have. (B)

Price Includes:

• Round trip airfare Miami-Havana-Miami
• Compliance with U.S. Treasury Department
• Cuban Airport departure tax and Cuban visa
• Cuban insurance (health and evacuation)
• 5-night accommodation in 5-star hotel in Havana (Hotel Parque Central, standard room)
• Daily breakfast at the hotel, daily lunch, 3 dinners
• Gratuities for restaurants and hotel porters
• Full-time tour manager and Cuban guide
• All activities as described in itinerary: speaker fees, venue rentals, museum fees, etc.
• Land transportation in Cuba (air-conditioned bus) equipped with bottled water
• Tips for Cuban guide, driver and tour escort

Price Does Not Include:

• Domestic airfare to and from Miami from home city
• Breakfast in Miami
• Baggage fees on charter flight ($20 per checked bag; fees for overweight bags)
• Additional meals and beverages not listed on itinerary, or not part of the chosen menu at meals
• Individual hotel expenses (mini bar, room service, laundry, Internet, optional gratuity for hotel housekeeping staff, etc.)